“独起承当忠孝事”:晚清知县密昌墀的奏对手记

“To Shoulder the Responsibility of Loyalty and Filial Piety Alone”:A Case Study of Response Memorials and Notes of Late Qing’s County Magistrate Mi Changchi

在晚清史上,位仅七品,职非言官,却心怀天下,一再向君主犯颜直谏的,密昌墀是个少有的例外。光绪戊戌有《应诏陈言疏》,己亥有《仪鸾殿奏对》,庚子有《行在对恭记》,前二者关乎戊戌政局,后一次关乎庚子事变。尤其己亥、庚子年间的两次奏对,他当着慈禧太后和光绪帝的面,公然揭发官场黑幕,大胆抨击当朝权贵,甚至慷慨纵论帝后、新旧、满汉矛盾,言辞之犀利,内容之劲爆,为晚清政坛所仅见。这样耿直敢言的“强项”人物,虽然勤政爱民、政声卓著,却最终官不过知州,且因得罪岑春煊诸权贵,两遭革职。此后密昌墀绝意仕途,但仍热心公益,惠及桑梓,在湖北教育史、铁路史和灾赈史上都留下自己的独特影响。

In the history of the late Qing Dynasty,Mi Changchi was a rare exception.As neither an imperial cen⁃sor nor a senior official,Mi Changchi,however,had Qing’s best interest at heart and repeatedly gave di⁃rect advice to the Qing rulers.In 1898,he presented a memorial to Emperor Guangxu.In 1899 and 1900,he was summoned by Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu twice.These events were related to the Coup in 1898 and the Boxer Movement,respectively.Especially in 1899 and 1900,in the presence of Em⁃press Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu,he openly exposed the dark secrets of the officialdom,fiercely criticized the influential officials,and even impassionedly discussed the conflicts between the emperor and the empress,between the old and new groups,and between the Manchu and the Han.His sharp words and bold contents were rarely seen within the political arena in the late Qing dynasty.Such a straightfor⁃ward and outspoken official,although he was diligent,cared about people,and had a distinguished politi⁃cal reputation,his official position was never higher than a prefect.And,for offending Cen Chunxuan and other powerful people,he was twice dismissed.Since then,Mi Changchi ended his political career but ac⁃tively engaged in the local public welfare and benefited his community.He left a unique influence on the history of education,railway,and disaster relief in Hubei Province.